


and they called it puppy love

by theshipshipper



Series: a bubble for two [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Summer Romance, basically each chapter is set a year after the other, friends to lovers au, from kids to teens to young adults (?), so it starts with them as kids but they grow up quickly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-20 19:52:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14900916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theshipshipper/pseuds/theshipshipper
Summary: When Jon was twelve-years-old, his father came into the picture and took him to King's Landing for a better future, but every year he gets to come back to Winterfell -- to his family, to his friends... and to the girl he loves.---Jon waits until the rest of the Starks are heading into the dining room before he finally looked up and handed Sansa the small package he brought for her."For you," he tells her, feeling the heat rush up his cheeks as she took it curiously. "It's Florian and Jonquil..." he gives her a shy smile. "I thought you might like it."She flashes him a bright smile and it makes him flush a deeper shade of red. "I do like it. Thank you Jon, but... what is it for?"--Title from: Puppy Love by Donny Osmond





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't know how to incorporate it into the fic and until I figure it out, here's a list of their ages in this chapter.
> 
> Rhaenys - 15  
> Aegon - 14  
> Jon and Robb - 13  
> Sansa - 12  
> Arya - 9  
> Bran - 7  
> Rickon - 4
> 
> Also, they'll be a year older in each chapter, just in case anyone gets confused in the future when they're suddenly adults.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it! :)

Jon takes a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air as the car sped through White Harbor. They're not in Winterfell yet but even in the southernmost part of the North the cold hits him like a refreshing splash of water in the morning.

If King's Landing weren't so hot and humid maybe it wouldn't suck as much as it does -- but Jon highly doubts it. Aside from the unbearable heat, it's the people there that he dislikes. They're all too big and pompous, acting like they own the world. Even the kids in his class treat him like dirt and he just wishes he can stay in Winterfell so he doesn't have to deal with them anymore.

It takes a few more hours before they finally get there but Jon's already jumping out of his seat and running into his mother's arms before the car has fully stopped in front of their apartment building.

"Mom," he breathes out quietly, revelling in the warmth of her embrace. It makes him feel safe and secure and he almost forgets how horrible the past year has been without her. "I missed you so much."

This, among many things, is what he hates most about King's Landing. When he's there, his mother is always too far away. Too far to give him comfort, too far to wrap him up in her tiny arms to make him feel better.

That's not how it's supposed to be. For as long as he can remember he's only ever had his mother. They've always been a team; they took care of each other no matter what - but his father took that away.

Rhaegar Targaryen is not a horrible man, at least not as far as Jon knows. But the truth is that he hasn't spent enough time with his father to be sure. If he thinks about it, he can probably count on one hand, the number of times Rhaehar had given him his complete and undivided attention in the entire year he's spent living with him and his family -- and that's the kind of thing that makes Jon wonder why his father would take him from people who genuinely loves him when he doesn't even seem to care.

"Look at you, you've gotten taller," his mom gasps out, brushing his hair back in astonishment. "My baby's all grown up."

"Mom, I'm not a baby anymore," he whines out, feigning annoyance despite the smile that's fighting to break out.

"Of course you're not, sweetling. You're practically a man grown," she teases with an amused laugh, pressing a kiss right there between his brows. "Come on, let's grab your stuff and head on up."

Jon introduces his mom to Oswell, who's already taken out his bag from the trunk. He's grinning at Jon, pleased to see him so happy and contented for once.

Out of anyone, Oswell would know how difficult it's been for him down South. Though his official job is unclear to Jon, he considers Os to be his closest friend in King's Landing; the one person who's been there for him since he got there.

"I'll see you in two months, Os," he said with a quick hug, giving Oswell a wide smile. "Thanks for driving me here."

He snorted, ruffling Jon's hair fondly. "Literally my job so it's really no problem, kid." He gave Jon a serious look. "Call me if you need anything, yeah?" Jon nodded in assurance before Os turned his attention to his mother, offering a hand. "It was nice to meet you, Ms. Snow. I'll be back by the end of the summer for Jon."

"Of course. Nice to meet you too, Oswell." His mother replies with a kind smile. "Thanks for taking care of my boy."

As soon as they're in the apartment, Jon feels his mouth tug up in a satisfied smile. So much has changed in his life that he's glad he can count on some things to remain the same.

It's still just their tiny apartment in Wintertown; it looks and feels lived in, as it always has, and it may be nothing compared to his father's mansion in the South but this is home and it's always where he'd rather be.

"So... what do you want to do, kiddo?" Her mother asked as soon as they're finished eating, waiting for him to decide.

She's taken a day off for his arrival so they've got the rest of the day to do whatever he wants but if he's honest, he just wants to stay home and talk to his mother, like they used to, so that's what they do.

When he was in King's Landing, they usually spoke on the phone so she's not out of the loop with his life but it's different talking to her in person and he finds himself unable to stop. He tells her all about King's Landing; the places he's visited and the wonderful things he'd learned about them. He tells her about school; the classes he likes, his grades and even the friend he'd made, Samwell Tarly. He tells her about the Targaryens, too; his siblings, Rhaenys and Aegon, and his stepmother, Elia. He even says a little about his father.

What he doesn't tell her is how much he hates everything there; he doesn't tell her that he's sad all the time and he wishes he were in Winterfell instead. He doesn't tell her how lonely it still feels, living in a massive house filled with so many people. He doesn't tell her that school sucks and aside from his siblings, the kids are mean and wouldn't leave him alone. He doesn't even tell her how difficult it is with his siblings, no matter how nice they are, because he's just too different from them.

"Can I go over at Robb's tomorrow?" He asked just before retreating into his room to sleep, biting his lips hopefully as he looked at his mother. "Maybe we can hang out at the diner while you work? Or the park if Mr. Stark lets us go."

"Of course, sweetling." His mother ruffled his hair. "Arya's been calling all day asking for you, too, I'm sure she'd love it if you boys let her tag along."

Jon nodded with a grin. It sounds just like old times and it's only been half a day but things are already looking up. "Yeah, will do. Thanks, mom."

He calls Robb early in the morning to see if he's free and they make plans for Jon to come over for lunch before they head out to the park to meet Theon and the rest of the boys.

It's little Arya who greets him first when he gets to the Starks', screaming "Jon's here," into the house repeatedly before she comes running toward him in excitement.

Jon laughed as soon as she leapt into his arms, grinning happily.

"Hey, Little Wolf." He ruffled her hair and set her down. He greets Robb next, who runs out of the house upon Arya's loud announcement, and then Bran who's still the same sneaky boy he remembers and tiny baby Rickon who probably doesn't even remember him.

It's a joyous event that Jon's imagined plenty of times since his father had told him that he could come to Winterfell over the summer and the only one missing is Sansa - which he's quietly disappointed about until he gets inside and spots her.

Unlike her siblings, she's more subdued with her greeting, simply giving him a bright smile and a polite greeting. It's no surprise really, they've never been close to merit the kind of greeting Arya and the others had for him, but he wouldn't have minded being able to hug her.

He looked down a moment, trying to push the thought away. He waits until the rest of the Starks are heading into the dining room before he finally looked up and handed her the small package he's tucked into his jeans.

"For you," he tells her, feeling the heat rush up his cheeks as she took it curiously. "It's Florian and Jonquil... first edition." He clears his throat. "My friend Sam sold it to me because he's saving up for something and his dad won't -- " he stopped his ramble, giving her a sheepish smile. "Anyway, I... I thought you might like it."

She flashes him another smile, bigger than the last, and it makes him flush a deeper shade red. "I do like it. Thank you Jon, but... what is it for?"

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "As a thank you."

He remembers the last time they spoke; they were at her house, too, over a year ago, on the night before he was set to leave for King's Landing. Her parents had invited Jon and his mom over for dinner so that they could all share a meal before his flight, and just before the night ended Sansa had promised him something.

_"I can visit your mom sometimes, if you want, keep her company...," she offered once they had a moment alone._

_Not that he'd shared it with anybody but he has been worrying about his mother. He keeps thinking about what she'll do without him. She's terrible at remembering to rest or to eat, always too busy working for them both, and Jon's afraid that no one will remind her to take care of herself without him there._

_Jon looked at her curiously. "You'd do that?"_

_Sansa nodded with a knowing smile. "Yes, I would. Your mom's pretty cool, you know. I wouldn't want her to be sad while you're away."_

_Jon offered her a smile. "Thank you, Sansa."_

She'd kept her promise; during their weekly phone calls, his mom would often tell him about whatever new girly thing she and Sansa had done, and it always gives him relief to know that even though he's far away, someone's looking out for his mother and making sure that she's not sad all the time, so he gives Sansa the gift as a sign of thanks and he hopes that it could be the start of a friendship.

The rest of the summer flies by pretty quickly, to Jon's absolute disappointment. He's not sure how time could've gone so quickly but he wishes he had more. Unfortunately, that's not possible. Tomorrow morning Oswell would be back to pick him up and then he's back in King's Landing where everything is horrible.

"I'm the King in the North," Robb screamed at the top of his lungs as he ran towards the hotspring, somersaulting into the air before landing on the water with a big splash.

Rickon follows him closely behind, screaming the same sentiments in his tiny voice before jumping into the pool himself, making everybody else laugh in amusement.

They're swimming around in the hotsprings today, unable to come up with anything else exciting to do for his last day home. Jon tries not to dwell on how much he will miss this and he fails. As much as he loves his siblings for who they are, he just can't help wishing for them to be more like the Starks; all wild and playful, bringing out the same kind of energy in Jon.

A part of him is glad that they're not, mostly because he doesn't want to have a reason to like King's Landing. To him, Winterfell is his home, his mom and the Starks are his family, and nothing can ever compare.

"Good book?" Jon asked quietly as he approached Sansa who's sitting comfortably under the shade of a tree.

She's the only one not swimming, as usual, and Jon thought he'd give her some company if she were interested.

Sansa looked up at him, surprised but otherwise pleased to find him there. "It is, actually," she lets him know, raising the cover to show him that it's the same one he'd given her at the start of the summer. "I actually wanted to give you something in return."

"Oh, you didn't have to get me anything, Sansa, it's - "

She's already planted a kiss on his cheek before he could finish his sentence and it's enough to render him speechless, his eyes wide in surprise as butterflies fluttered madly in his stomach.

"Thank you for the book, Jon," Sansa tells him earnestly, smiling shyly up at him. "I really do love it."

He swallowed. "Of course," is all he can say, his cheeks burning red as he tried to get a grasp on what just happened.

Somehow, despite the fact that this is his last day in Winterfell before he has to leave, it's still the best day ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daaaaaang, twelve-year-old Sansa's got game!!!
> 
> PS it only gets fluffier from here.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to update this yet but the song 'puppy love' just won't get out of my head and I have a feeling it'll stay there intil I finish this fic, so... here we are.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy it! :D

 

"Are you sure you don't want to just come with us to Mereen instead?" Aegon asked skeptically, unable to understand the concept of going to a 'boring old place' instead of being out of the country, yet there's really nowhere else Jon would rather be than Winterfell.

Going back home is the one thing he looks forward to at the end of every school year and there's no way Aegon's gonna talk him into coming with them to Mereen where they'd all probably have to endure their Uncle Viserys' presence the entire time.

Jon sees the guy every Christmas already, he's not looking forward to seeing him for more than that.

"I'm sure. Winterfell is loads better than Mereen," he offers as an answer, giving his brother a smile.

Instinctively, Aegon rolls his eyes. "You've never even been to Mereen to know that for sure."

"Oh, leave him alone, Egg," Rhaenys pipes in as she comes out from the front door. "Jon has someone special waiting for him in Winterfell, there's no way you can talk him out of going."

Jon groaned at that, feeling his cheeks flush. The one time his sister catches him smiling goofily at his phone and it's him staring at a picture of Sansa.

In the year since last summer where he and Sansa became friends, their relationship only grew.

It started with phone calls; she would sometimes be at the apartment when he called home and his mother would let them chat for a while. It's not long before they exchanged numbers and started texting back and forth, then they followed each other on social media - Jon made one just to friend her online - and somehow they haven't gone longer than a day without talking since.

It's probably what made his life in King's Landing more bearable; having something to look forward to everyday.

Just then Oswell pulled the car up in front of the house where the three of them are, and he takes that as a signal to leave. He turned to his siblings, giving them an awkward smile to bid them goodbye. "Have fun in Mereen."

The flight from the Vale to White Harbor feels much longer than the last time but Oswell keeps reminding him that he at least doesn't have to wait another year to get there, but only a few hours. As far as reminders go, it's pretty useless, but he does try to distract himself better instead of just asking when they'll land after every minute.

Once they land, Os drives him to the Starks as his mother have asked since she couldn't get off work and thought he'd like to see his friends while she's busy.

Her schedule has been pretty hectic the past year since starting night achool. She still has a few more weeks left before school ends but Jon doesn't mind. He's just glad that his mom's able to do these things now that she doesn't have him to to worry about.

Though, if he's honest, some part of him is sad about it too. In a perfect world, his mom wouldn't have had to work so much, to the point of sacrificing everything, just to give him a good life. He looks at Rhaegar's family and he thinks of how easy things could've been, if they were his real family.

It's a selfish thought, one that he shakes away from his mind almost immediately. His father's family is not all that great, either, really. They may have all the money in the world, all the fame and fortune, but they don't have the things Jon's always had in Winterfell - warmth and safety. The knowledge that it doesn't matter how hard it gets, he can lose absolutely all the material things in this world, but he'll still always have people that cares for him, people that would look out for him in his mother's absence, people that loves him just because he's Jon and they don't need him to be anything more than who he is.

His reunion with the Stark kids go almost the same as the year before, if only a little different. This time, he gets a hug from Sansa too, and it makes a world of difference. They are friends now, afterall.

He's brought gifts, too. For all of them this time. He'd saved up most of his allowance so he could get them some stuff, like Mr. and Mrs. stark would always include a present for him, too, whenever they go out of town. It's nothing too fancy, just little toys he thinks Rickon would like, comics for Bran, fencing gears for Arya, and the latest interactive video game for Robb that they can play together once he's back South. For Sansa, he waits until they're alone to give it to her.

"I made it myself," he explained, feeling self-conscious as he handed Sansa the wooden pendant. It spells out her name, forming a crown. It took him a long time and a lot of tries before he got it right but he likes how it turned out. "A friend taught me how to carve it out."

"It's incredible," She said in astonishment, running a finger through it. "I have something for you, too."

Jon had ducked his head on a smile just a moment before but his head snaps up immediately at her words. "Oh?"

He feels his cheeks grow warm at how obvious he thinks he's being, no matter how hard he tries not to think about the kiss on the cheek she'd given him last year. He can't help it though, and he remembers a conversation with Oswell some months ago when he was asking for advice.

_"Maybe you can give her jewelry," Os suggested in a hushed tone, trying to keep his voice down in the quiet library. "I'm just saying, the better the gift the better the kiss."_

_Jon gave him a flat stare. "You're a bad influence."_

_Os looked genuinely surprised. "Am I? Sorry, it's not like I had a complicated love life at fourteen. Everything I know is from my experience in adulthood." He paused. "Well, what's wrong with jewelry, anyway?"_

_Jon sighed. "Os, you said it -- I'm fourteen. Why would I give anyone jewelry?"_

But it's not like it's bad advice; Sansa probably likes jewelry, he just doesn't see the point of buying her one. He can probably afford one with the allowance his dad gives him but -- anyone could buy Sansa some jewelry - Jon wants to give her something only he can.

So he made her the pendant, without any ulterior motives aside from getting to see her smile so beautifully at him like she's doing now, and it feels like that's the best gift in the world. She does give him a stuffed toy, which she also made herself, and that's pretty great too.

"Ghost," he breathes out in realization as he studied it, giving Sansa a wide smile. "How did you know about him?"

While Jon was growing up, he had a stuffed toy he called Ghost, a tiny albino direwolf, and he loved it so much he brought it with him everywhere he went. He lost it during the move to Winterfell and he's had plenty of nights where he had trouble sleeping because of it. He'd grown out of that now, of course, but he's still happy to be reminded of his little friend.

"Your mom told me about him, showed me pictures too so I could recreate him. Do you like it?" She's chewing on her lips nervously as she waited for an answer, and Jon has trouble understanding why she would ever think he won't.

"I love it," he assured with a grin, even squeezing Ghost for good measure. "Thank you, Sansa."

The rest of the day is pretty uneventful after that but he doesn't mind. If he's any happier he might actually explode.

That's how the next few weeks go for him; Jon constantly on the verge of spontaneous combustion from sheer happiness and contentment, but somehow he survives.

Most days he's hanging out with Robb and their friends, playing at the park or the hotsprings or something. Sometimes he just hangs around the Starks' to watch movies or whatever the kids come up with. But evenings are with his mother. Since starting night school, her shift at the diner got shorter and with her classes done for the summer, she's usually home by evening so Jon has plenty of time to spend with her. His favorite, though, are Saturday evenings at the apartment.

Saturdays are Girls Night, according to Sansa. She comes over before dinner, as she usually would, and she and his mom would play whatever romcom they decide while eating the fastfood they're craving for in the week.

They let Jon crash their tradition the entire summer, and though he's not allowed to pick the movie or the food, he still thinks it's a pretty awesome night with two out of his eight favorite people in the entire world. Sometimes even four, whenever Arya and Mrs. Stark decides to tag along.

It's a pretty simple couple of months but he wouldn't trade it for the world.

When Jon returns to King's Landing after his summer vacation, he's met with Aegon, his sunkissed skin and endless stories of how cool everything was in Mereen. Jon listens to all the stories his brother would share, privately thinking of his own summer.

Aegon can have the best summer vacation ever, Jon can settle for having the happiest one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I genuinely think the song is HAUNTING me to write this fic quickly and it's winning, so here's another chapter for you. Enjoy. :D

Jon is quietly eating his dinner and minding his own business while the rest of the people at the dinner table argued about what to do for their summer vacation when Aegon suddenly says, "Maybe I could just go to Winterfell with Jon."

The argument started when Elia suggested they all - excepting Jon, of course, since he already has a standing schedule to go home - go to Dorne over the summer. She misses her home and her family, which Jon can relate to, and figured they could all visit, but only Rhaenys seem to be up to the idea.

Aegon considers places he's been to more than once before to be boring and Rhaegar has some issue with some of Elia's relatives after his affair, so they've all been going back and forth about what to do, unable to come up with a solution that works for them all.

Of course, Rhaegar wouldn't stop his wife from visiting her home if that's what she wants, but Elia wouldn't want to go if him and Egg are just going to stay in King's Landing, and then Rhaenys objects when Aegon comes up with cool travel activitios he could do with his father. It's a whole mess until Rhaegar finally snaps and decides, with finality, that he's staying in King's Landing to work, and then suddenly Egg's the only one who still doesn't want either options.

It's a very stressful conversation, especially to an outsider, but it only gets more stressful to Jon upon Egg's suggestion. He looked around the table slowly, everyone now completely silent as they took in what Aegon just said.

"That sounds like a good idea if that's what you really want, Aegon," Elia is the first to say, giving Rhaegar a firm look so he won't argue. Then he turned to Jon, offering him a smile. "That's of course only if Jon's alright with it?"

He swallowed the food on his mouth, glancing at his father. Common courtesy tells him to say yes even though he wants to say no, but he's not sure any of them actually wants him to agree.

He thinks Aegon probably wants him to say no just so he could get what he wants and go on some tour alone, Elia's probably just saying that to be polite, and Rhaegar probably wouldn't want his son to be around his ex-mistress for all the trouble it could cost -- but fuck if Jon knows what they actually want from him.

"I won't mind if that's what you guys decide," he answers slowly, trying to make himself sound the right kind of 'okay'.

And then suddenly that's all settled and done with; Aegon's coming to Winterfell with him over the summer.

It's a complicated set-up; with Aegon tagging along, they have a bodyguard with them. Thankfully, Rhaegar agrees not to make them bring more than one, and he picks Oswell since he's already the one who brings Jon to Winterfell every year and is the most familiar with the place, so that's at least some good news for Jon.

Then the living situation is a problem, too, because Elia doesn't want Egg staying alone at a hotel and now Jon's offered his room to him, Oswell the couch, and now he's obsessing about how much his brother's going to hate everything about it.

There's a specific kind of lifestyle that Aegon is accustomed to, and staying at a two-bedroom apartment with four people is not it.

Of course, Jon's used to tight spaces, he's lived most his live in them. He's always considered his home as cozy, not small, but Aegon's presence is making him defensive about it, even if he's been nothing but polite since they got there.

He thinks that's Elia's influence; she probably told him to keep his opinions to himself about Jon's lifestyle because she's a kind woman and has done nothing but try and make him comfortable with her family.

"On a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate this?" Oswell asked a few days after they've arrived, the pair of them sitting on the bench on a time-out while the rest of his friends and Aegon are playing ball.

Jon scowled, refusing to admit that struggling to keep his brother entertained has never been his ideal summer.

"I don't hate it at all. It's fine, everything's fine." He says it mostly so it might become true, but it sounds unlikely.

Jon doesn't even know why he's trying so hard to prove to Aegon that Winterfell is the best place ever but he can't help himself, he just -- he wants Aegon to understand why he loves his home and why King's Landing can't compare.

"It's fine," Jon blurts out again, more to himself and more defensively.

Os snorted. "Mhm. If you say so."

And he knows he did keep saying it but he starts questioning if everything actually is okay when Aegon starts flirting with Sansa.

Somehow that's the thing that gets him. Five weeks of trying to pretend everything's all fun and not at all stressful and then he sees Aegon and Sansa alone in Mrs. Stark's garden -- then _bam_. Nothing is fine. At all.

Not that he didn't expect it to happen, at some point, because Sansa's really pretty and sweet and everyone who gets to know her can't help falling in love with her. In fact, he'd be more surprised if Aegon didn't find her interesting or attractive. What he didn't expect is how much the idea of Aegon liking Sansa irritates him.

Irritated is probably putting it lightly, it feels something more than that, something more angry and feral, but he can't really explain it.

"You're jealous," Os is the one who puts a name to the emotion, and the scowl comes instantaneously.

"I am not," he denies though he knows it's absolutely true. "Why would I be jealous?"

Oswell laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "Kid, I may not be the expert on love but I know jealousy when I see it. You've been talking non-stop about this girl for two years, literally -- it's clear that you like her. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you're pissed about your brother making a move on her before you've mustered up the courage to do so yourself."

Oswell pats him on the back sympathetically as his face fell at the truth of it. "For what it's worth, I think she likes you too."

Jon blew out a big breath, thinking that's pretty unlikely. He can see, from where they're seated on the backyard of the Stark house, Sansa and Aegon laughing about something.

"Do you see that? What are you still doing here, sitting next to me? Just because he's making a move doesn't mean you're gonna let him." Os dragged him to stand up before pushing him to the direction of Sansa and Aegon. "Go. Interrupt. Distract. Make your move. Whatever you come up with. Just do something."

It's solid advice. Unfortunately, Jon doesn't know shit about 'making moves'.

There's also the fact that his brother is older and more handome than he is; Aegon's pretty much the Prince from Sansa's favorite stories come to life. He doesn't know how to compete with that, doesn't even think he stands a chance.

Still, the sight of Sansa laughing because of someone else sends a weird ache in his chest, and he feels his feet carry him to where she and Aegon are standing separate from everyone else inside the house.

"Hey Egg, I think Robb was looking for you. Something about, um..." He made a face, pretending to think about it though it's actually just guilt from lying. "Video games?"

There's a slight tinge of annoyance that crosses his face but he smiles broadly anyway, telling Sansa that he'll be right back in a tone that really tempts Jon to roll his eyes.

He manages to look innocent enough, thankfully, but Sansa still turns to him with a knowing smile. "You either made that up or Robb's up to something. Which one is it?"

He blinked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Sansa grinned at that, sharp as always. "So, you made it up," she declared, not incorrectly. "Robb wouldn't voluntarily spend time with your brother, just for future reference -- if you're ever planning to do whatever that was again."

"He wouldn't?" Jon frowned. "Why not?"

Sansa takes a moment to consider her answer, gauging Jon's expression. She must decide it's okay, though, because she tells him anyway. "Robb thinks your bother's a little... arrogant."

That's not actually a surprise; Aegon can be pretty pompous. It's just how rich kids are in the South. They walk with a certain air around them, like they know how much they're worth. And as a son of a man who single-handedly salvaged a failing business empire and put it back on top, Aegon definitely knows how important he is.

Jon's used to it but he should've figured that Robb would dislike someone like that, especially in his home.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"He didn't want to hurt you. Aegon's your brother, it seemed rude for Robb to admit he didn't like his attitude."

Jon nodded in acceptance, his mind already somewhere else. "And... and you? What do you think of Aegon?"

Her eyebrows arch up, a teasing smile tugging up her lips. "Why do you want to know?"

He shrugged, innocent. "Just reasons."

Sansa lets out a laugh. A soft-sounding one. He decides that it's his new favorite sound; the sound she makes when it's him making her laugh.

"I'll tell you what I think about Aegon if you tell me why you made him leave," she offered with a smirk, looking at him challengingly.

He made a face. He's apparenlty not off-the-hook with that conversation. He rubs the back of his neck nervously, his heart hammering in his chest as he decides to just go for it.

"I was jealous," he admitted, his ears flushed red. "He was... he's flirting with you and I was jealous."

"Why? There's nothing to be jealous about."

Jon laughed, the sound coming out self-depreciating. "No? He's Aegon Targaryen, everbody likes him."

"I like him fine but I don't like _like_ him," Sansa said with a shrug. "I like someone else," she adds playfully, poking him on his tummy. "The guy I like _like_  is a little ridiculous, being jealous and stuff for no reason at all, but I still like him anyway."

Jon's eyes widened at that, both because he's confused and ecstatic to hear it.

"You mean me, right?"

Sansa laughed again, amused, and then she pulled him in for a kiss by way of answering. It's quick and barely-there, but it sends Jon's brain into overdrive.

He thinks he forgets everything except her for a moment; his name, where they are, what date it is and everything else in between - he can't seem to remember them as the voice in his head says, _Sansa, Sansa, Sansa_ , repeatedly, matching the thrum of his heart.

"Holy shit. What did I just see?" Someone behind them asked, making the two of them jump.

The first thing he notices is Oswell, standing far from them as he held up two thumbs up for Jon. The next thing he sees is Robb, much closer, and looking between the pair of them in utter confusion.

"Whatever you saw is none of your business," Sansa declares, unaffected by Robb's presence. "What are you even doing here?"

"First of all, I live here. Second, Aegon just came up to me saying I wanted to talk to him about some game and I don't remember saying that so I came here to ask Jon what he's up to only to find you two being all - " he makes a face of disgust, waving a hand around them to emphasize what they were just doing.

"You mean kissing," Sansa fills in impatiently.

"Eugh. Don't even say that word." Robb said dramatically. "And you -- " he turned to Jon, pointing an accusing finger that makes Jon back away cautiously. "That was your plan, huh? You thought I'd distract your brother while you were here doing ~ _that_ ~ to my sister."

Sansa scoffed. "Actually, I was the one who kissed him."

"Blaaaaah," Robb screamed before she could finish her sentence, covering his ears shut. "I do not hear anything, I did not see anything and just for the record -- I don't like that thing I didn't see nor hear."

A week later, Robb, Arya, Sansa and Jon are gathered at the apartment, with Aegon deciding that he's bored of Winterfell now and locked himself in Jon's room while talking to Rhaenys on his phone, as the rest of them sat in the living room while Sansa and Jon tried to explain what the situation is.

"What does that even mean?" Arya asked, frowning at them in slight annoyance. She's twelve now, though still as fierce as when Jon first met her, and she seems to be on board with Robb's whole dramatic take on the situation.

Sansa took a deep breath, as though she's summoning patience from somewhere unreachable. This conversation has admittedly taken longer than planned so he understands the building frustration in her.

"It means," Sansa answered slowly. "we're not friends but we're not dating either."

"Which means what, exactly?" Robb asks next, making Sansa huff in irritation.

They know that Robb and Arya are just messing with them at this point but they decide that it's easier to just go along with it than to fight them; it makes things simpler.

"It means we'd like to date at some point but we're not doing that yet. Right now we're fine just being friends."

"But I thought you weren't friends?" Arya asked, feigning confusion.

Robb nodded along. "She's got a point, you did say that. You said you're not friends and you're not dating either, so what... does that mean?"

Sansa made a noise, something similar to a low growl, and her siblings crack up. "Alright, fine. We'll stop being annoying - "

"At least during this conversation," Arya cuts in.

"- about it and leave you guys alone -"

"Also just for now, I'm definitely not getting over this soon," Arya butts in again.

Robb grinned at her before he turned to Jon with a serious expression as he offers him a hand. "Better the devil I know, right?"

Jon snorted, rolling his eyes. Apparenlty he becomes the enemy as soon as he starts wanting to date his best friend's sister. "Right."


	4. Chapter 4

"Come on, come on..." Jon stared at the bottom corner of his computer, fingers tapping the table sporadically as he urged the clock to turn to five.

It's been a relatively slow day for him, compared to how hectic it usually is at his internship, but Jon finds that having nothing to do is a lot worse than having plenty.

At least time seems to pass by quickly when his boss bury him in tasks he wants done by the end of the day, with no exceptions, but now that Tywin Lannister has been out of the country for for business, he doesn't have anything left to do but wait for the guy to come back.

He'd already asked around the office if anyone needed any help with whatever work they're doing but no one seems comfortable ordering around the son of the Chairman and CEO of the company.

Jon picked up his phone to distract himself from doing nothing and typed a quick text to Sansa. _I wish I were in Winterfell with you instead_ , he tells her. _I miss you_.

They may still label each other as friends but that doesn't mean they can't be open with how they feel. In the span of a year, they've learned to be comfortable talking about their feelings for each other and it's been great. They have an understanding.

She replies within a matter of seconds: I _miss you too and I wish you were here but remember why you're not and why you're doing this internship in the first place._

He sighed, defeated. He knows she's right; the only reason he was ever in King's Landing is because his mother wanted him to have a good future. And the way to accomplish that is to do what his father says, and as much as he wants to be in Winterfell right now, enjoying his summer with his friends, he knows he's got responsibilities.

 _I know. You're right. Thank you,_ he replies back to Sansa only a moment later. _This is why you're my rock._

He's completely aware that it's a cheesy line but Sansa likes it when he says stuff like that; it makes her laugh.

 _You're a dork_ , she replied, and he can almost imagine the cute faces she's making as she typed it out. _Get back to work. Msg me when you're home, okay?_

"Hey, Jon," Aegon called for his attention, walking over to his desk. "What are you doing later?"

He sits right on the desk as he munched on a chocolate waffle. Jon tries not to roll his eyes; of course Aegon's happy doing this internship, he's training under Jon Connington who's not only the COO of the company but also a close family friend and his actual godfather.

Connington loves him like a son, treats him even better than Rhaegar does. Meanwhile, Jon has to work with the guy who enjoys making him suffer.

"Why do you ask? Do you need anything?"

Aegon shook his head. "The boys and I were thinking of driving up to Storm's End, do something fun. Want to come with?"

"But... we have work tomorrow."

Egg waved him off. "We'll be back before then. Trust me."

That's not actually promising; the drive to and from Storm's end would take at least five hours, that's not including whatever they plan to do, and whatever the case, Jon's pretty sure he won't get enough rest if he did want to come along.

"I'll pass," he answered easily, thinking of how much better his plans are: resting comfortably on his bed while he watched a movie with Sansa on video call.

"Okay. Your loss, little brother," Egg said, messing with his hair before finally leaving him alone.

As soon as he gets home, he starts a video call with Sansa on his laptop. It's routine by now. Admittedly, it's a little different now that it's summer, but even when they still had classes they would just keep their call on-going as they did an assignment or something. They just like spending time together even when they're apart.

"Hey handsome," Sansa greeted him teasingly as soon as she connects, wagging her eyes at him.

She's mentioned that she likes how he looks with a tie on, a requirement when he's at the company, and the way she's smling at him is maybe why he didn't immediately change into his pajamas when he got home.

"Hello beautiful," he replies without missing a beat, not at all teasing. "I missed you."

He was really looking forward to spending the summer with her now that they've figured out their feelings. But then his father included him in the company's internship program and it's not like he could refuse. It's a good opportunity and it'll definitely look good for college applications next year so Jon really has no reason to complain.

But that's also exactly what he hates about it. He doesn't want to sound ungrateful but he wishes he got to make his own desicions with what he wants to do with his life. Unfortunately, that's not how it works; being a son of a man like Rhaegar means having pre-determined responsibilities he has to prioritize above all else.

He's not surprised, really. He's always assumed there's a string attached to Rhaegar taking him in to live in comfort and he just has to be fine with that.

That's pretty much how his summer goes; work, sleep, eat and talking to Sansa at every moment in between. And before he knows it, summer is over and he's back to school for his junior year.

His father still has him working as an intern which means his life just got immensely stressful from there, trying to balance school and training at the company.

But no matter how complicated things get, he makes sure that Sansa is still a constant part of his daily life. With her school work and extra-curricular activities, and his school works and internship, it is admittedly more difficult than before but they make it work.

They spend about ninety percent of their video calls falling asleep than actually talking but he doesn't mind it too much; he gets to start his morning with Sansa on his laptop screen, sometimes still sleeping and other times just waking up too.

It feeels like a promise; like something to look forward to in their future together.

"Stark? They're invited?" Jon blurted out in surprise, frowning at the list he's been reading, unsure if he read it correctly. "I thought the Gala was exclusive to the company and its partners?"

The Gala isn't until next summer but it's a big enough event that it requires a long time of planning. Tyrion Lannister, taking over his father's position while he's away for work again for a much longer period of time, was tasked with overlooking the event which means that Jon, as his intern, gets to help him with all that.

He's actually just been double-checking the list of names to put on the invites when he spots the Stark name.

"Yes, the event is supposedly exclusive, and yes, the Starks are invited despite that," Tyrion responds from his desk, barely looking up from the document he's reading. "Your father is hoping to strike a deal with them and thought the Gala would be a perfect opportunity to show Ned Stark the best of our company."

"He's planning to impress Mr. Stark with pageantry?" Jon asked, skeptical. He may not be an expert on business but Ned Stark is like a father to him; he knows Mr. stark would most likely be annoyed at having to attend such an elaborate event.

Tyrion suddenly closed the documents on his desk, looking over at Jon curiously. "You don't think it's a good idea?"

Jon stared at him in silence, unsure of what to say. Tyrion is, after all, in charge of the whole event and as an intern, Jon is meant to do what he's told, not have opinions. But he's a weird man; he's unlike his father. Jon can't decide if he likes him or not but the guy has been teaching him more about how the mind works in this business. And it's this thought that spurs him on to speak.

"It just doesn't seem like something Mr. Stark would appreciate. He's not fond of extravagant parties, he especially dislikes attending them."

It's not technically true; the Starks has held parties before, from what he remembers. It's just that it's immensely different from how it is here in the South. Mr. Stark is probably not going to enjoy it, much like Jon doesn't either.

"I agree with your assessment. I've met the man, he's extremely dour. Parties are not his thing. Anyway, I've told your father the same thing when the topic came up," Tyrion informs him, folding his hands in front of himself. "Yet he's convinced the plan will work and he'll manage to get a deal. Why do you think so?"

Jon blinked, unsure. "I... I don't know."

Tyrion gives him a curious look. "Hmm. Now there's something for you to think about."

Jon doesn't really spend much time thinking about it, if he's honest, too focused on the possibility that the Starks are coming South.

The event is a family gathering of sorts, where members of the company, its partners, and their families will all be gathered for a night of celebration. If Mr. Stark was actually considering whatever offer it is Rhaegar made and decided to come, then it means Robb, as heir to the Stark empire in the North, would surely come along. And maybe they'd even consider letting Sansa come.

The fact that he so badly wants it to happen is why he doesn't tell her about it; he doesn't want her to be disappointed if her father decided to decline the invite. It is possible after all; Mr. stark might not even be interested in whatever his father has to say.

It's a couple more months before the invites to the Gala gets sent out and by then he's filled with quiet anticipation as he waited for news. Sansa knows he's part of the team organizing the event, he's even mentioned a few times that he's specifically handled double-checking the guest list, so she would know that he knows about them getting invited if her dad ever mentions it to them.

She does call him with news a week later, beaming at him from across the screen as soon as he accepted her call.

"We're coming." She laughed excitedly. "Mom, dad, Robb, Arya and I are all going to the Gala. Why didn't you tell me we were invited?"

He feels himself smile, holding off the urge to jump from his seat and scream at the top of his lungs from sheer joy. He hasn't seen Sansa and her family in person for almost two years now and finally knowing for sure that he'll see them again over the summer, even for just a short amount of time, is enough to make it worth the wait.

"Dad says we'll only be there for five days tops, just until he finalizes some business-related matters," she says, somewhat disappointed. "But I guess that's better that not being there to see you at all."

With that information at hand, they start planning for what they could do in King's Landing within five days. Sansa was told that they'd be arriving the day before the Gala which leaves them a couple days to hang out, maybe tour around with her siblings, until they leave. It's a lot to look forward to, and almost enough to make him less disappointed about not being able to go home for the second year in a row.

  
Later, right before one of them falls asleep, he asks her a question.

"Would you like to be my date to the gala?" She tilts her head curiously as soon as he says it, waiting for him to continue. They've known each other for so long now that he understands exactly what that means: she wants him to say exactly what he's thinking. "I don't mean like just a casual date -- I mean --" he sighed. He's horrible at this. "What I'm trying to say is... I'd like for us to be together. You know -- for real. As a couple. Officially."

It seems like the right time; though he hasn't told her, Jon knows that she's the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

He's fully aware that he's still young and talking with that much conviction sounds funny to people much older than him but he doesn't care. He knows that so much of his life can't be predicted; can't be controlled. But deciding who he loves is a choice he'll always get to make on his own, and he chooses Sansa.

And he may be terrible at saying all of that out loud but he wants a chance to show it; a chance to make her feel exactly what he means.

And she gives him that, too.

With a teasing smile, the one she has right before she calls him a dork, she tells him: "Yes, Jon, I'd love to go with you to the Gala." And because she's a bit of an asshole, she adds, "you know -- for real. As a couple. Officially."

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I mentioned that this is partly a modern take on a Rhaegar wins au? No? Well... it kinda is.
> 
> ALSO! For anyone interested in reading follow-ups from this au that I'll be writing in the future, here's a [ page ](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1046226) you can check out for those.
> 
> Finally, thank you all soooooo much for reading and leaving a kudos or a comment or both for this fic. I genuinely appreciate it!!! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this final chapter. :D

Jon sucks in a deep breath as soon as he spots Sansa coming down the escalator, his heart somehow beating too quickly and too slowly at the same time. He feels his feet dragging him to meet her at the bottom, his body moving on its own free will.

In that moment, everything feels like a dream -- because reality can't possibly be that good.

He keeps his eyes locked on her, just as she has hers on him, and he's certain that the same exact expression on her face - that dazed, somewhat shocked look - is mirrored on his own.

"Hey," he breathes out, soft, when she's finally standing right in front of him. He wants to hug her, or kiss her, or maybe both, but he can't think of what to actually do that he freezes on the spot.

"Hey buddy," Robb cuts in, in an overly-cheerful tone, before Jon could even move towards Sansa, and his best friend locks him in a tight embrace with a little more force than he thinks necessary. "I'm so happy you're ecstatic to see _all of us_."

"Is he, though?" Arya adds disbelievingly as she pushed her brother away for her turn to hug Jon. "It doesn't even look like he remembers any of us aside from Sansa."

Jon let out a short laugh, feeling his cheeks grow warm at the comment. "Of course I remember you..." He said teasingly, ruffling Arya's hair fondly. "I missed you a lot, Bran."

She scoffed, punching him playfully on the arm. Then he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Stark, who are both watching the exchange in amusement.

He swallowed nervously, giving them a nervous smile. He's more unsure of what to do now that he remembers they're all there watching his next move and he hears Robb laughing next to him.

"Look at him all nervous," he muttered to Arya before pushing Jon in Sansa's direction. "Oh, just hug her and be done with it. We all know that's what you both want to do."

He catches Sansa's eyes again and he grins at her. It feels so awkward to be on the spot but he powers through for her sake. She grins back, that teasing one that he likes, and she's the first to pull him into her arms.

All the air in his lungs escape him in an instant; he thinks it might be how getting punched in the gut feels like, except he likes it very much. "Finally," he whispered into her ear, just a second before they're interrupted again.

"Okay, enough of that." Robb took him by the shoulders, tugging him gently away from Sansa. "That's longer than you hugged any of us. You don't want us to get jealous, do you?"

Jon laughed again, rubbing the back of his neck. That's apparently how things are going to work from now.

"Actually," Sansa cut in before he's completely away, grabbing his hand to keep him there with her. "His mom wanted me to give him a hug from her, so..." She pulls him back in, ignoring Robb, and everyone else, completely. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her with equal fervor.

He doesn't know how long the moment lasts but he knows it's not enough. Still he pulls away first, fully aware that almost her entire family is watching them.

"I missed you," he's tells her, and the smile that his words bring out from her makes him want to say it over and over again.

"Ugh. You guys are disgusting," Robb groaned out from behind them, making Sansa scowl in his direction.

"You're such a pain in the ass," she tells him with a glare. "Just wait 'til you get a girlfriend, I'll make your life hell."

Arya snorted at that. "Robb with a girlfriend, what a concept."

Robb scowled. "Hey, excuse me -- "

"Alright, alright, enough." Ned Stark walked towards them, shaking his head in amusement. "I think it's time we found Jory and get some lunch."

Ned turned to Jon and gives him a small smile, a reassuring one, before ushering them all out of the airport. He doesn't know what that means but he assumes it's some form of a blessing.

Sansa slips her hand into his as they walked, shifting closer to him so their shoulders are touching. He turns to her in surprise, eyes going a little wide. "Your parents are right behind us," he whispered to her nervously.

Jon hasn't gotten the chance to speak with them yet and he wanted to tell them in person what his intentions are, and even though he loves getting to hold Sansa's hand like this, it might come across as rude and disrespectful.

"Like they don't already know about us," she said with a smirk. "Don't worry, they already talked to me before we got here. We're fine as long as we're on our best behavior."

"You have but I haven't spoken to them yet."

"So what? Then talk to them later. Besides, if dad asks, you can just say that I'm the one who initiated it."

He turned to her incredulously. "You mean throw you, his daughter, right under the bus the first moment I get? Yeah, he'll definitely love me for that."

Sansa laughed, nudging him. "You're overthinking it. They already know you, and like I said, we aready talked. Stop worrying so much."

He blew out a big breath. He knows he's being crazy, he just wants to make sure he's doing everything exactly right. "So what exactly are we not allowed to do?"

Sansa raised an eyebrow, catching onto the meaning behind his question immediately. "You want to know if you can kiss me."

"That's -- " he clears his throat, realizing that his voice came out a little higher than normal. "That's not what I asked."

"No but that's what you're thinking right know," she said on a laugh.

 _Caught_. "Well, am I? Allowed?"

She grinned, biting her lip as she thought about it. "I think... it's fine as long as they don't catch us."

Jon blew out a breath. "Well, that definitely doesn't count as good behavior."

They grab lunch at a restaurant in the Red Keep, near the Villa the Starks rented out for the week. It's a fairly casual place compared to most around town and Jon finds himself feeling the happiest he's been in the five years he's lived in King's Landing.

The only thing that could make things better is if his mother were here, but he knows that's not possible. If she came here and someone found out, the scandal of his father's affair would be rehashed in antagonizing detail again, same as when Jon first got there, and he wouldn't want his mother to be put in that kind of situation.

Arya kicked him from under the table, making him snap out of his thoughts. She's frowning at him, worried, and he offers her a smile.

"I'm not giving you my fries, if that's what you're after," he tells her as a way to assure her that he's alright, and she gives him a bright smile.

"That's fine," she replied before moving to grab some of Robb's.

"Hey, that's mine," Robb moaned out, mouth filled with food, making him laugh.

It all feels just like old times in Winterfell, and when he turns to his left, where Sansa's laughing along with the rest of them, her eyes so bright and blue, he thinks that it's even ten times better.

Later, once they're at the Villa, Ned Stark asks to speak with him. That makes Robb and Arya snicker at him just as Sansa squeezes his hand in quiet reassurance.

He follows Mr. stark into a study, the pair of them sitting across from each other. He swallowed nervously, unsure of how this conversation will go. Mr. Stark doesn't seem any more at ease; he looks uncomfortable, making a face as he thought through what to say.

Jon decides he should take the opportunity to start. "Sir, before you say anything, I... I just want to say that I promise I won't hurt Sansa. I know we're young and you might be thinking that it's too early for us to know what we truly want but I know how I feel -- and I'm... I'm happy when I'm with her. The last thing I want is to hurt the person who makes me feel that way."

Mr. Stark looks surprised and somewhat confused at what he said and he can tell that it takes a moment for him to take in.

A smile suddenly erupts on his face. "Thank you, son. I appreciate you telling me that and I trust that you won't break that promise." He paused, thoughtful. "But that's not what I wanted to speak with you about."

Jon blinked, confused now, and he feels his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "It's not?"

Mr. Stark patted him on te shoulder, amused. "That's alright, Jon. I'm glad to hear how much you care for my daughter." He gives him another smile. "As Catelyn and I have told Sansa, we have no problem with the pair of you and your relationship as long as it's not a hindrance to both your responsibilities."

Jon nodded eagerly. "Yes sir, I promise it won't be."

"Speaking of responsibilites... it's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Jon, have you thought of what you wanted in the future?"

He frowned, once again confused. "What do you mean, sir?"

Ned thought about how best to explain. "Five, ten years from now... what do you see yourself doing?"

Jon made a face. If he's honest, he usually tries his best not to think about it. "Working for my dad's company?" He phrases it like a question even though he knows it for a fact. "That's what I've been told I should do, at least."

"And is that what you want?"

Jon looks down. It's the first time he's ever been asked that question and he realizes that he doesn't actually know what to answer. "It's what I'm supposed to do, sir," he says instead. "It's what Rhaegar - my father - expects of me."

Ned nooded. "The reason I ask is because your father made me a proposal." He sighed, resigned. "Actually, he's been trying for years and I never considered it until now. He wants to expand his business North, has tried and failed many times," Ned continued. "He's asking me to invest in a company he's planning to establish in the North under a new name, JS Inc."

Jon remembered what Tyrion said all those months ago, about why his father is so convinced that he'll get the deal with Mr. Stark, and he feels disappointment settling in his stomach. With Aegon as the heir to the Targaryen empire, Rhaenys training at her mother's family's company, and now with his plan to use Jon to somehow make Ned Stark invest in a company -- that's the whole of Westeros in the hand of one family. The legacy he's been obsessed with.

"Don't accept it." Jon shook his head. "I don't know what Rhaegar told you but he's just using me to get you to agree. Don't do it, sir."

It's a difficult thing for him to accept that in all this time, Rhaegar was always just using him for his own gains. He's not surprised, of course, but it still stings. He'll probably even expect Jon to be grateful; a company in his name and possibly a high position once he's of an age; a sweet deal if only Rhaegar actually cared about his future instead of the legacy he plans to leave behind.

Ned put a hand to his shoulder. "That's how business works, son. Everyone uses everyone." He gives Jon a sad smile. "Now, in a few hours I'll be meeting with your father to give him my final answer. He swore that this for your future and he knows that I'll help secure it. I'm holding him to that but -- later, I'll tell him that the only way I'd accept is if you, Jon, holds the majority share in this new company he wants to build." He paused. "But before then I need to know what you think. I know it's a lot of responsibility and a lot of pressure to you so I need to know if this is something you want."

Jon gave him a strange look. "But... why? Why would you do that for me?"

Ned smiled at him. "I've known you since you were a boy, Jon. I consider you as a son. If your father didn't take you, I would've offered you a position in my company, have you working alongside Robb like you both talked about whenever I brought you along to work. I can still give you that... Or I can give you something better."

It's a lot to take in, and once again he finds his heart so full for the man who'd always treated him more like a son than his own blood.

"Thank you, sir," he tells him, on the verge of crying. "I appreciate it. So much. But it's a lot for me to ask of you."

Ned laughs softly. "You didn't ask me, son. I offered."

The conversation with Mr. Stark is so much to take in, but eye-opening in a lot of ways. It reminds him of what he's always known no matter how difficult his life seems to get; there are people that would always look out for him no matter what.

Jon tries not to dwell on what it means for his apparently hopeless relationship with his father, though, and focuses on the people he does care about.

He stays a bit longer at the villa to hang out with Sansa and her siblings; they stay at the pool area, dipping their toes into the water as he told them stuff they could do in the week that they'll be there.

Tyrion Lannister had already approved Jon's request for a few days off from his internship which means he has plenty of time to tour them around. There's a bunch of places that he's already been to before but he imagines this time will be much more exciting now that he won't be visiting them alone.

First though, there's the Gala.

Jon's never been intricately responsible for an event so he assumed that it would be a very busy day come next morning. As it turns out, it's actually not. He comes to the office early, as usual, and whole place is buzzing with excitement for later tonight. Tyrion doesn't even give him any work.

Naturally, he spends all his time texting Sansa, and thankfully, hours seem to fly by as he talks to her. Before he knows it, he's already in the car with his family as they drove to Visenya's Ballrooms where the event will be held.

 _You look beautiful_ , he texts Sansa as they wait to be ushered out of the limo. _can't wait to see you. :*_

 _????_ , she texts back almost immediately. _Exactly. You haven't even seen me yet._

It makes him smile. The fact that she thinks he'll need to see her to know that she's the most beautiful person he'll eyer lay his eyes on is almost funny.

_San, you're always beautiful. I doubt it'll be any different tonight._

And he's right; somehow she even manages to be even more breath-taking than he remembers.

It's about half an hour later when he finally sees her walking into the ballroom with her family. He's speaking to a representative from their partners in Braavos, but the sight of her in her stunning red dress renders him useless.

"Excuse me for a moment," he says distractedly to the man he's speaking to, unable to tear his eyes off Sansa as he started to make his way to her.

Everytime he sees her he's just caught in this sudden disbelief at the fact that none of this is a dream; her radiant smile, that bright glint in her eyes as she sees him, all of it is real. And it's for him.

"You look stunning," he tells her as soon as he's close, pulling her in a quick embrace.

"You look stunning right back," she teased, adjusting the red bowtie he wore to match her.

He laughed just before greeting the rest of her family with laughs and hugs all around.

He only gets a short moment with them before he gets whisked away again to speak with some of the other guests and he's unable to get back to Sansa until after the first portion of the event is over.

Once they're led to the other ballroom for the lighter part of the night, Jon decides he's done his familial duties and seeks out the only person he actually wanted to spend time with tonight.

He finds her speaking to someone at one of the high-top cocktail tables set up near the dancing area and he makes his way to her immediately, only realizing when he's closer that the other girl is Margaery Tyrell. He has a few classes with her in school but he doesn't really know her that well. The little that he does know comes from Sam, who swears she's an angel.

Sansa sees him before he has to interrupt them, giving him a bright smile as she held her hand out to him. "Hey, there you are," she says happily, pulling him close as soon as their fingers intertwine. "I'm sure you've both met before but... Margaery, this Jon. Jon, Margaery Tyrell.

He nodded at her politely. "We have a few classes together," he offers, just in case she doesn't actually know him. He tries to remain invisible in school so he won't be surprised if she doesn't.

"AP History and Biology, right? Samwell Tarly's friend," she offers with a friendly smile.

"Right." He smiled. Sam would be so thrilled to hear that Margaery Tyrell actually remembered his name. He turned to Sansa then. "How did you two meet?"

"Oh, I saw her her dress from across the room and thought it was beautiful," Margaery said, grabbing his attention once again. "I wanted to know where she got it from."

Jon beamed proudly at that. "She made it herself," he informed the girl, remembering the past month that he'd watched Sansa put it all together. "She's very talented."

"I can see that," Margaery replied with a smile. "Well, I think I'll leave you two alone." She turned to Sansa with a bright smile. "It was very nice to meet you. Text me whenever you're in town, alright? I'd love to chat."

As soon as she leaves, Jon finds Sansa staring at him, eyebrows arched high. "She was nice," she commented, though he can't actually read her expression.

He blinked. "I guess... I don't really know her."

"Uh-huh," she continues in an odd tone.

Jon narrows his eyes at her, trying to figure out what's changed in the few minutes since he got there. "Are you -- " He laughed in sudden realization. "Don't tell me you're jealous. I barely even know her."

"She's pretty," she noted simply, not even denying his guess.  
  
He rolled his eyes, amused. "So are a lot of girls but that doesn't mean I like them."

"She lives here," she continues on. "You can be with her all the time if you wanted."

"Yeah, but I don't." He grinned, finding it amusing that she thinks he'd even be interested in anyone else. "Seriously, she's not even my type."

Sansa scoffed. "Oh, so you have a type, huh?"

"I do," he plays along, trying not to show how much he's actually enjoying this.

She untwines her fingers from his, crossing her arms challengingly. "What's your type then?"

"One word," he says, voice soft, stepping in closer to her. "You."

"You're not cute," she tells him, but he can see her expression soften.

"No, but you are." He pokes her nose gently. "First official jealousy, check," he tells her, then proceeds to air-check an invisible list. She doesn't even crack a smile, trying hard to pretend she's still annoyed with him, which only makes him smile wider. "Hey, you wanna know something?"

"What?" She asked finally, with a cute little pout that he wants to kiss away.

He put his hands on her cheeks, urging her to look him in the eyes before telling her: " _I love you_."

She blinks at him in surprise, taken off-guard. They haven't said the words before; personally, he wanted to wait to tell her in person, just so she can see how much he means the words when he says them.

She bites her lips on a smile, eyes flicking down his lips then back to his eyes. "I love you too," she tells him right back, and he doesn't even know which one of them leans in first to capture each other's lips in a kiss.

He's convinced that time stops as soon as their lips touch; the rest of the world ceases to exist just for that moment, and it's only the two of them, like he wants it to be for always.

He's grinning stupidly once they part, his chest about to burst with joy, and he rests his forehead against hers. "Would you like to dance?"

"Depends," she answers slowly, biting her lip on a smile. "Are you gonna step on my foot?"

"Both of them," he informed her gravely. "Most definitely."

She laughed, pressing a quick kiss to his lips once more. "That sounds perfect."


End file.
